Necktie accessory



My 8- r c. E. WIEBE 2,444,548

NECKTIE ACCESSORY Filed Feb. 28, 1946 Patented .luly 6, l9

smra PATEN 1 Claim.

l My invention relates to an improved device for preserving the neatness of and increasing the attractive appearance ,of neckwear. More particularly my invention relates to an improved device for extending the folds of a tie immediately below the tie knot and for holding the knot firmly in place over the collar button of the wearer.

The necktie is one of the very few items of male apparel which has no function other than to improve the wearers appearance. Furthermore, by far the greater proportion of the tie is concealed beneath the collar and coat of the wearer and said function must be per-formed by the relatively small proportion of the tie consisting of the knot and the small expanse of the upper fold immediately below the knot that is visible to the public. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that said relatively small proportion of the tie which is visible to the public be neat and attractively presented, or else the wearer of the tie gets no value therefrom and must be deemed to be wearing the tie merely as a sop to convention. It is well known that men experience considerable dificulty in the slipping of the knots which exposes the collar button; and especially in the cheaper grades of .tie, a stringy appearance of the upper fold immediately below the constriction of the knot frequently exasperates the wearer. It is desirable, therefore, to provide an inexpensive, simple device which may be easily and quickly inserted into the tie knot between the upper and lower folds of the tie which will perform the double function of keeping the knot in place over the collar button and extending the expanse of the upper fold of the tie immediately below the knot.

Various devices have been contrived in the past to perform these functions but such .contrivances have possessed a number of disadvantages. Some have been anchored in the knot by means of a hook which in the course of repeated use damaged the tie and eventually completely shredded the fabric. Others have been ungainly, have been undependable in springing loose and becoming visible with some embarrassment to the wearer, still othersfasten about the neck in a manner to cause discomfort to the wearer.

Therefore, it is a principal object of my invention to provide an improved device for performing the double function of extending the folds of the tie immediately below the knot thereof, and for holding said knot firmly in position so that it will not slip down exposing the collar 2 button of the wearer. Other objects of my invention are to provide a tie extending and knot holding device which is simple, inexpensive, easily inserted, dependable, invisible after insertion, and which will cause no discomfort to the wearer.

The foregoing and such other advantages, objects and capabilities as may appear herein or be pointed out as this description proceeds or as are inherent in'the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention about to be inserted in place in a necktie;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention in place in a necktie;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figure i is a horizontal, sectional view taken. on line l-Al of Figure 3;,and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention;

, Figure 6 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of my invention about to be inserted in place in a necktie in an alternative fashion; and

Figure 8 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of my invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, Figure 3 discloses a preferred embodiment of my tie extender and knot holder l. Said tie extender i has a cuneiform head 2 which is adapted to be easily inserted into and enveloped by the knot of the necktie. The cuneiform head 2 extends into an elongated straight shank 3.

The elongated shank 3 spreads in inverted Y fashion into two resilient legs i and 5. The resilient legs e and 5 are slightly bowed and are formed with retaining humps 6 and i contiguous to prongs B and 9 upon the outer extremities of said legs. The shank 3 is retained immediately above the legs ii and 5 by a metal band it from which a spur ll protrudes between the legs *3 and 5.

Said tie extender may be constructed from resilient metal wire as illustrated in Figure 3, or it may be stamped in a single operation from. sheet metal in the form of the embodiment of Figure 5. Both of these methods of manufacture are well adapted to low cost, large-scale production. The manufacture of the wire-form embodiment would require only the following simple steps: cutting the wire into suitable lengths, pref erably with the out being made at an angle so as to pressing the wire about a form to give it the desired shape; and stamping the metal band 10 and spur ll about the shank of the wire. The production of the sheet metal embodiment of Figure 5 would require a die constructed to project the spur ll beyond the plane of the shank 3 and to impart the bowed'shape to the legs 4 and I. Alternative materials and methods of construction are plastics which may be cast or cut into an embodiment similar to that depicted in Figure 5.

My invention is easily inserted in place in the following fashion. After the tie is knotted about the neck of the wearer, the tie extender I is grasped by the thumb and forefinger at the metal band in. The cuneiform head 2 is pushed into the knot l3 behind the lower fold M. The lower fold it is then pulled slightly to tighten the loop oi? the tie about the neck and the upper fold II is tugged to tighten the knot ll about the cuneiform head 2. The spur Ii is inserted into the rear center fabric of thelower'fold l4 and serves to anchor the lower end of the shank 3 therein. The projection of the spur H from the plane of the shank 3 tends to impart a fashionable convex shape to the folds of the tie which may be ready for insertion as demonstrated in Figure 7.

While I have described my invention as embodied in a few specific forms for purposes of accentuated or diminished depending upon the 7 distance from the knot the spur ii is inserted into the fabric of the lower fold I I. The prongs I and 9 are engaged in the outside rear edges of the fabric of the upper fold I! thus extending said fold in an attractively expansive'manner. The humps 6 and I retain the fabric of the tie and prevent said fabric from sliding further down the legs I and 5.

My invention may be inserted between the folds II and |5 as shown in Figure 7 instead of below the fold ll as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In the former case the spur ii is fastened into the front center fabric of the lower fold II as it is this anchorage in the lower fold which prevents the knot from slipping. If my invention is to be so employed it is necessary that the spur H be formed to project towards the body of the wearer instead of away therefrom. An embodiment of my invention thus adapted to be worn between the folds of a necktie is shown in Figure 8. The preferred form of my invention, as illustrated by Figure 3, may also easily be adapted to wear in such fashion. The resilient legs 4 and i may be bent to bow in the opposite direction, and if the device is turned over it is immediately illustration, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications will suggest themselves'to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the append'ed claims.

It is apparent from the above description that I have invented an improved devicefor enhancing the attractive appearance of neckties and minimizing 'the annoyance of slipping knots thereof. Since my tie extender is simple, inexpensive, unobtrusive; dependable and causes no discomfort to the wearer it is also apparent that my invention is practical and useful as well as novel. 1 i

What I claim is:

A tie-extending and knot-retaining device, consisting of a single length of resilient steel wire approximately four inches in length, and a metal band; said wire being formed into a cuneiform loop at the center thereof, said loop doubling said wire into an elongated straight shank; said shank separating into two legs extended in inverted Y fashion from said shank, said legs terminating in prongs, humps in said legs adjacent to said prongs, said prongs and humps being adapted to engage and retain fabric material; said metal band clasping said shank immediately above said legs; and a spur integrally formed upon said band and projecting therefrom to anchor the lower end of said shank to a tie whereby a curved shape is imparted to the upper fold of said tie.

CARL E. WIEBE.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS 

